Androgenic Alopecia (AGA) can be controlled

Baldness is an emotionally devastating condition — even for men. “Stressful” does not even begin to explain what male balding truly brings. It indefinitely pulls down one’s confidence little by little especially when it comes to socializing.

Men with alopecia usually begin to develop a receding hairline as the rest of the hair becomes finer, thinner, and shorter. This is a condition called androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 2 of 3 male Americans have AGA. It appears to be more prevalent in Caucasians than in Asians, Native Americans, and African-Americans.

AGA tends to run in families and triggered by the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This genetic predisposition has been found to be caused by two variants present in chromosome 20 (which can be passed down from either the mother or the father) and in the female X chromosome.

By obtaining the tendency, certain hair follicles in their scalp become sensitive to DHT, which would change the manner by which the hair follicles absorb nutrients. Follicles would produce finer, shorter, and thinner hairs in the process until they eventually stop producing. The distribution of the DHT-sensitive hair follicles explains the pattern of balding.

Men who have this condition may begin to develop a receding hairline at an early age of 25. By the time he reaches 50, he will have lost almost all of his hair in the scalp except for those in the sides or back.

AGA cannot be cured but it can be controlled. There are many possible options of treating AGA in men. A very safe and effective way to stimulate hair growth is through low-level laser therapy, which uses cold therapeutic lasers to increase cellular production. It works best on mild to moderate hair loss. Another popular treatment is topical minoxidil. It is similarly a hair growth stimulant, by working as a vasodilator. However, it would produce side effects including irritation, redness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, etc.